Hoping for the best...planning for the worst

Do you have an individual in your organisation who performs undocumented tasks unknown to everyone else?

Imagine if they suddenly left...

... What would you need to get back to normality quickly?

The answer to this question is the basis for your continuity plan.

Scottish Business in the Community has created a 10-Minute Plan to help small to medium-sized businesses prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies (our friends at Greenburn Recruitment can advise on all aspects of HR).

The Scene & Herd team have some tips of their own:

Monty: Regularly back up all your work. Don't learn the hard way when your ancient laptop packs in!

Anna: In an age when we heavily rely on our mobile phones, make sure you also have a printed contact list.

Jan: No one likes typing up documentation but it is essential so consider filming some procedures on your mobile phone or using transcription software like Otter to transcribe voice notes.

John: Rather than sharing passwords on any platforms you use to collaborate, buy the appropriate licence for the size of your organisation and give users discrete log-ins.

Some interruptions to your business (security breaches, product recall, litigation etc) may very well cause a problem to your organisation's reputation so consider also putting in place a crisis comms plan clarifying who should speak to media etc. We are always keen to discuss ways to enhance a brand's reputational image so please do get in touch if this is of interest to you.

As Robert Burns said, “The best-laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley”, so make sure you regularly check your business recovery plans rather than test unfamiliar procedures in the middle of a crisis!

On a similar subject, succession planning is a nettle that all farming families need to grasp. You just never know what is around the corner. It's a sensitive subject, fraught with legal, technical and emotional difficulties and in an OnFARM podcast back in December 2020, Monty enlisted law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn to talk through the issues. Have a listen here: https://pod.fo/e/ac655

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